Swing Dancing To a Plant-Based Beat

Cooking is not merely a mundane task but an art form that allows us to express our creativity and experiment with flavors. One ingredient that holds immense potential for culinary innovation is grits. These versatile and humble grains, derived from corn, have been a staple in Southern cuisine for generations. However, today we'll dive into the world of grits and explore how they can be used as a canvas for culinary creativity. Understanding the Basics of Grits: Grits are a coarsely ground cornmeal product, commonly associated with Southern cuisine. Traditionally made from dent corn, they have a distinctive creamy texture when cooked. Grits can be either instant, quick-cooking, or stone-ground, with the latter offering a more robust flavor and texture. By understanding the fundamentals of grits, we can better appreciate their potential for culinary exploration. Elevating Classic Grits Dishes: While dishes like shrimp and grits or cheese grits are iconic and delicious in their own ri

Gullah cooking, whose recipes are making it into Dan Buettner's new book "The Blue Zones American Kitchen" , is a unique and delicious culinary tradition that is rooted in the African and Native American cultures of the Gullah people. It is one of my favorite cooking traditions and I find myself drawn to it as a base for many dishes along with the flavors of Ethiopian cuisine. The Gullah are descendants of enslaved Africans who were brought to the Sea Islands of South Carolina and Georgia in the 17th and 18th centuries. They developed their own unique culture and cuisine, which is a blend of African, Native American, and European influences. Gullah cooking is characterized by its use of fresh, seasonal ingredients, its emphasis on seafood, and its use of traditional cooking methods. Some of the most popular Gullah dishes include shrimp and grits, crab rice, okra soup, and benne wafers. In addition to being delicious, Gullah cooking is also a rich and historic tradition. T

Have you ever been to a party or club and wanted to dance, but you were too afraid to get on the dance floor? Maybe you were worried about what other people would think of your dancing, or maybe you were just shy. If so, you're not alone. Many people have a fear of dancing in front of strangers. This fear is called chorophobia, and it's a real thing. It can be caused by a number of things, including: Fear of judgment:  Many people are afraid of being judged by others, especially when it comes to their dancing. They may worry that they'll look foolish or clumsy, or that other people will think they're not good enough. Social anxiety:  People with social anxiety often have a fear of being in social situations, especially if they feel like they're being watched. This can make it very difficult for them to dance in front of strangers. Body image issues:  People who are unhappy with their body image may be afraid to dance in front of others because they're worried ab

The Benefits of Pressure Cooking Lentils Lentils are a type of legume that is high in protein, fiber, and nutrients. They are a great source of vegetarian protein and can be used in a variety of dishes. Lentils are also very affordable and easy to cook. One of the best ways to cook lentils is to use a pressure cooker. Pressure cooking lentils can save you time and energy, and it can also help to preserve the nutrients in the lentils. Here are some of the benefits of pressure cooking lentils: It saves time. Pressure cooking lentils can take as little as 10 minutes, compared to 30 minutes or more for traditional cooking methods. This is a great option if you are short on time or if you want to have a quick and easy meal. It saves energy. Pressure cooking uses less energy than traditional cooking methods, which can save you money on your energy bill. It preserves nutrients. Pressure cooking helps to preserve the nutrients in lentils, which is important for people who are looking for a hea

"What man can you show me who places any value on his time, who reckons the worth of each day, who understands that he is dying daily? For we are mistaken when we look forward to death; the major portion of death has already passed. Whatever years lie behind us are in death’s hands. Therefore… hold every hour in your grasp. Lay hold of to-day’s task, and you will not need to depend so much upon to-morrow’s. While we are postponing, life speeds by. Nothing… is ours, except time. We were entrusted by nature with the ownership of this single thing, so fleeting and slippery that anyone who will can oust us from possession. What fools these mortals be! They allow the cheapest and most useless things, which can easily be replaced, to be charged in the reckoning, after they have acquired them; but they never regard themselves as in debt when they have received some of that precious commodity, — time! And yet time is the one loan which even a grateful recipient cannot repay." - Le

In this vegan journey over the last one and a half years, I have created some go-to dishes and spice mixtures that I make on a regular basis for those workday lunches that you are trying to prepare at 6 or 7 in the morning. The first one here is a Tex-Mex Pinto Bean pot that I cook up once every couple of weeks. It is a start to finish dish in my 6 Quart Presto Pressure Cooker . The Spices The spice mixture is the key, I make it in batches and store it in a container in the freezer and use 2 tablespoons per pot. It goes like this: Salt 3.5 Tbsp Cumin 4 Tbsp Chili Powder 2 Tbsp Garlic Powder 2 Tbsp Onion Powder 2 Tbsp Paprika 2 Tbsp Cayenne 1 tsp Thyme 4 tsp Oregano 4 tsp Sugar 2 tsp Buy good beans and give 'em a soaking bath The day before you plan to prepare this dish, soak 2 cups of dry pinto beans in 6 cups of water and 1 tsp salt. I source my organic pinto beans from a local healthy grocer, Ellwood Thompson's Supermarket in Richmond, Va. They have a great

Our family has been vacationing in the Myrtle Beach, SC area for about 55 years or so. During that time we have stayed in cottages, small hotels, big motels, resorts and rental homes. This year (2018) w hile visiting    Garden City, SC  , I had made it a point to get to two restaurants that interested me while planning the trip. On of them was   Pacino's  Mediterranean Grille , in a strip mall just prior to the entrance into the community of Murrel's Inlet . I realized, just an hour prior to creating the appetite, that a reservation was recommended. I called and they offered a 7:30 - 8:00pm time slot, being already hungry I asked was there anywhere where we could sit and sample some of their more interesting menu items. They offered a seat in the kitchen area and I immediately replied "We'll be there in 10 minutes!" and off we went. The very first dish that we tried was the Mujaddara. Not even knowing how to pronounce it, we ordered it to give it a try and we were